From village incident to digital hit: Inder Chhajli’s secret to authentic Punjabi storytelling

Mumbai: The actor, writer, director and producer Inder Chhajli draws on people, places and experiences around him for his digital work. For him, writing a story often starts with something he has seen around him. It could be a person from his village, a family situation or simply an incident that stays with him. Many of those experiences have eventually found their way into the Punjabi web series he makes today.

Chhajli currently works across three web series — Maldar Shada, Nand and Vada Laana. Maldar Shada is the most popular of the three, while Lucha Buda recently completed its run. The stories are different, but they share an interest in village life and the people who live in it. Chhajli writes, acts, directs and produces the series through Jatt Beat Record.

His interest in creating his own stories goes back to his theatre days. While doing his MBA in Theatre at Panjab University, he worked with established writers and directors. After some time, he began writing plays of his own and taking lead roles in them. His theatre work includes Ankhi Yodhe, Dulle Di Taap, Mandikaran, Kaale Dive Di Loh and Chup.

“I had many stories of my own — from my journey and from my village,” Chhajli said. That idea stayed with him when he moved into web series. Rather than looking very far for characters, he often starts with people he knows or has come across. Some of the characters in his series are based on people from his village and then adapted to fit the story.

There is usually some humor in the mix, but that is not the only thing Chhajli is interested in. His stories also deal with family issues and social subjects. He prefers to bring those subjects into the story instead of making them the entire point of it.

“If you present a social message in a very straightforward way, people may not want to watch it,” he said. “So for us, the challenge is to keep that message intact but present it in an entertaining way.”The same thinking can be seen in the way his series are presented. Chhajli keeps the setting and conversations fairly raw, rather than trying to make village life look different for the screen.

“We keep the content very raw,” he said. “People can see a part of their own lives in what we show.”

That can be particularly familiar to Punjabis living abroad. People who have spent years away from their villages can still recognize the language, relationships and small details of the life shown in the series.

Chhajli's work has not been limited to web series. He has also acted in films including Nikka Zaildar 4 and Shukrana, and appeared in music videos such as R Nait's “Duty” and Jaz Sandhu's “Emergency.” But creating his own material has remained an important part of his work.

In 2026, he received the PTC Punjabi Digital Creators Award for Best Desi Comedy Creator. He says the award meant a lot, but he also sees the response from viewers as an important part of what keeps him working.

“The love our audience gives us is also no less than an award,” he said.

For now, Chhajli has three web series running, with different stories and subjects. He wants to keep the rawness that people associate with his work while continuing to bring new stories to the screen.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Mumtaz Bhat

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Mumtaz Hussain Bhat is a Hyderabad-based multimedia journalist from Kashmir, widely acclaimed for his work in entertainment and lifestyle journalism. He currently serves as a Sub-Editor at thehansindia.com, where he covers Arts and Entertainment, Lifestyle, Travel and Human Interest stories. With a keen eye for detail and a strong narrative style, Mumtaz has earned recognition for delivering engaging, well-researched content across digital platforms. He holds B.A. (Hons) in Journalism and M.A. in Mass Communication from HNB Garhwal Central University, Uttarakhand and continues to build a reputation as a trusted voice in contemporary media.

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